MP govt to follow SC norms in PSC appointments

Madhya Pradesh will follow guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court while filing up all posts, including that of the chairman, in the state public service commission, the state government has assured the high court.

Madhya Pradesh will follow guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court while filing up all posts, including that of the chairman, in the state public service commission, the state government has assured the high court.

The government’s submission came during the hearing of a petition filed by an RTI activist who had sought the court’s direction that all appointments in the Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission (MPPSC) should be fair, transparent and free from political bias.

Petitioner Ajay Dubey had alleged that the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government had appointed two previous chairpersons of MPPSC, Pradeep Joshi and Ashok Kumar Pandey, on political considerations though none of them deserved the post.

A bench of justices Rajendra Menon and SK Seth, in its judgment on September 10, refused to be drawn into the merits and demerits of the appointment of Ashok Kumar Pandey, the last MPPSC chairman, as he had already retired from the post.

On the basis of the government’s assurance, the court disposed of the petition while allowing the petitioner to initiate fresh proceedings if the administration “deviates or violates the norms as laid down by the apex court”.

The court also asked the state government to frame guidelines for the purpose of appointments in the PSC, if required.

The RTI activist had alleged the Joshi’s name was recommended by an RSS functionary while Pandey, an additional district and sessions judge then, was appointed a member of the commission after getting a special permission from chief justice for premature retirement from judicial service.

Dubey had also alleged that Pandey, in the last five years of his service in the judiciary, was assigned ‘C’ grade twice and ‘B’ grade thrice in his annual confidential reports (ACRs) and once the high court had even warned him for presenting “fake” case disposal figures.

Dubey later expressed disappointment over the verdict and said he was hopeful that the high court would reprimand the government over the appointments.

Legal Fight

Petitioner Ajay Dubey had alleged that the government had appointed two former chairpersons on political considerations

The HC had refused to be drawn into the merits and demerits of one of the appointments

It asked the state to frame guidelines for the purpose of appointments in the PSC, if required.